Prior to their regularly scheduled game with Mt. San Jacinto College, the Cerritos College baseball team had to finish their suspended game from January with the Eagles. The Falcons were able to get a runner to third base in the top of the ninth inning (where the game left off), but could not push it across and fell, 7-6. They came right back and produced 14 runs on 15 hits and defeated the same Eagles team, 14-2.

Cerritos (4-7) will now travel to College of the Canyons on Wednesday for a 2:00 p.m. start to play their postponed game from Monday.

Against Mt. San Jacinto (3-8), the Falcons scored twice in each of the first two innings to take an early lead. Freshman outfielder Nick Penzetta (Kamehameha, HI HS) led off with a base hit and after he was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, he scored on a two-out double from freshman outfielder Rolando Nichols (Serra HS). Freshman first baseman Jesus Mercado (St. John Bosco HS) followed with a run-scoring double for the early lead. Freshman designated hitter Dominic Bravo (Warren HS) started the second inning double and the Falcons had runners at first and second base when freshman catcher Adam Rubio (Montebello HS) was hit by a pitch.

Freshman Micah Hee (Kamehameha, HI HS), making his first start in the outfield, laid down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away by third baseman Nick Brock, which allowed Bravo to score. An infield ground out by freshman shortstop Ramon Bramasco (Cathedral HS) drove in the second run of the inning.

That would be enough offense for freshman starting pitcher Vincent Fuentes (El Rancho HS), who was coming off a seven-inning shutout performance in his last start. Fuentes (2-0) lasted seven innings and allowed one run one three hits with five strikeouts. He walked three straight batters in the fourth inning after allowing a double for his only run allowed, but got out of the inning on a double play.

The Falcons continuously added to their lead, scoring runs in five different innings, with their seven-run seventh inning opening the game wide open. Six hits, a walk and hit batter aided the team in the inning, with Nichols drilling a two-run double for the final two runs of the inning. Penzetta, who went 4-for-6 on the day with two runs scored, singled home a run, as did freshman third baseman Jorge Rodriguez (Bellflower HS) and sophomore second baseman Derrick Edwards (Mary Star of the Sea HS).

Cerritos also stole four bases, including a double-steal, with Bravo coming home after Mercado successfully stole second base. Rubio, who drove in three runs, doubled in two in the fifth inning and picked up an RBI on an infield out in the seventh inning.

Photos by Daryl Peterson